6/26/2013
**This review could contain spoilers**
"Stoker" is famed South Korean director Chan-wook Park's first English language film. He
is mostly know for his Vengeance trilogy and the cult classic film "Oldboy,
which is getting an American re-make by Spike Lee. Park's films are intense and meticulously
crafted. They are usually pretty violent
and push the limits all while being character centered and beautifully shot. "Stoker" delivers the goods with a
gothic tale of a young girls coming of age in a rich New England family
Starring the magnificent Mia Wasikowska as India the only
child of Richard (Dermot Mulroney) and Evelyn Stoker (Nicole Kidman). India is quite the interesting
character from the onset as the credits appear over freeze frames of her doing things
that become more apparent at the movies end.
She wears clothes very unique to her generation and although she is very pretty and
"normal" looking she is and outcast at her high school. She is quite introverted and has her own sense of
style. There are many things about her
that lay just under surface and her arc throughout the film helps her realize
who she is destined to become.
India's
father Richard is supposedly a wealthy architect who at the start of the film dies
in car accident on India's
18th birthday. At the funeral India notices a
man who turns out to be her world traveling uncle Charlie (Richard's
brother). Charlie seems to have a very
strong interest in India
as he frequently approaches her at a party held at the Stoker's
mansion. Charlie, played by Matthew
Goode, is a hansom and charismatic man who's mysterious appearance goes
unnoticed by most of the guests. Evelyn
only knows that he has been traveling extensively in Europe
for some reason or another and know nothing of his past.
Evelyn is played brilliantly by Nicole Kidman and deserved a
lot more screen time than she actually got.
Evelyn is a bored rich mans now-widow who seems to have no real purpose
in life or reason for getting up in the morning. She is an absent parent who gets no respect
from her daughter. The introduction of
Charlie into their family (who now lives with them for an undetermined amount of
time) does give her a sort of renewed vigor.
Although like in Nabokov's "Lolita" Charlie only gets close to
Evelyn to be able to get closer to India.
India
is not frightened by Charlie even after the disappearance of the maid Mrs. McGarrick
and then Aunt Gwen, who stops by unannounced for a very awkward dinner. India is
intrigued by Charlie and something inside her opens up, something dark but also
something that feels right. Later that
night India
meets up with a boy from her class and when things start to go south Charlie is
there and they share in something that is both wrong and exhilarating. This leads us to the shower scene with India
and a look inside her mind and how she feels about what just happen.
India
does eventually find out about Charlie's hidden past and his plans for the
future. She needs to free herself from
her toxic family and create a life for herself, whatever that may be. Charlie's obsession eventually boils over and
when he threatens Evelyn, she must make a choice. India is able to escape her family,
but deep down she is what she is.
Director
Park crafts a beautiful
looking film from top to bottom. The
atmosphere he creates as well as the photography are simply breathtaking. Not to mention the awesome special effects
work by Craig and Everett Byrom and company.
Ok, enough with the love fest I'm having for this movie there are a few
drawbacks. The script could have been a
little better. The story itself is kind of weak and melodramatic but with such
great talent all around it does pull off a pretty decent film. "Stoker" is currently available on
many formats such as DVD/Blu-ray/On-demand, etc. So see it!
